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WHY FASHION SHUNS ADLAND - High fashion has traditionally been isolated in the ad world with couture houses choosing to produce their own advertising without agency help. Why do sparks fly when these two creative industries try to work together?

In 1993, Hugo Boss appointed Bartle Bogle Hegarty as its worldwide
ad agency. The move caused something of a stir in high fashion circles,
where agencies are as rare as a size 14 model, and threw the spotlight
on to a usually obscure sector of the ad industry.

In 1993, Hugo Boss appointed Bartle Bogle Hegarty as its worldwide

ad agency. The move caused something of a stir in high fashion circles,

where agencies are as rare as a size 14 model, and threw the spotlight

on to a usually obscure sector of the ad industry.

As far as the average punter was concerned, BBH did a good job. Its ’men

at work’ strategy was spearheaded by a beautifully shot commercial

showing an immaculately dressed football manager being hugged by his

muddy goalie just as the world’s press took his picture.

Yet despite the quality of the work, BBH and Boss parted company after

just 18 months, much to the disappointment of BBH’s then board account

director on the business, Mike Willis. ’ We expected the commercial to

have a major run and it didn’t. We had strong views on the brand and so

did the creative people inside the company. In the end, they decided

they wanted to do it all themselves,’ he says.

A cautionary tale, perhaps, but the story of BBH and Boss should

surprise no-one. When it comes to a meeting of fashion and advertising -

two great creative industries - sparks fly.

Brands from Gucci and Jean Paul Gaultier to Armani and Versace prefer to

produce work on their own, sometimes through in-house agencies such as